Bergdahl was serving with an Alaska-based infantry regiment in Paktika province near the Pakistani border and went missing on 30 June , five months after being deployed to Afghanistan. The circumstances of his capture remain murky, with speculation he may have walked away from his base out of disillusionment with the US campaign. In March , he was charged with desertion and misbehaviour before the enemy. The US believes he was across the frontier in Pakistan for most of his captivity, reportedly held by the Haqqani network, which operates in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region and is allied to the Afghan Taliban.
Profile: Sgt Bowe Bergdahl. The circumstances of Sgt Bergdahl's capture in remain unclear, although a Pentagon investigation a year later concluded he left his post in Paktika Province without authorisation, according to a Pentagon official at the time.
Several commentators and soldiers branded him a deserter and called for him to be punished. The Idaho native's lawyers have argued he cannot get a fair trial following criticism from Donald Trump during last year's presidential campaign. Mr Trump had called him "a no-good traitor who should have been executed". The New York Times said on his disappearance in that he had left military areas before, during a training programme in California and an Afghan outpost, but returned each time.
US officials told the newspaper the report did not conclude whether Sgt Bergdahl had intended to permanently desert the military. The US military's top-ranking officer, Gen Martin Dempsey, has that the Army would not ignore misconduct but that the soldier, now aged 31, was innocent until proven guilty. The defence department opened up an investigation into his disappearance and capture, appointing a two-star general with combat experience in Afghanistan to lead the inquiry.
Taliban officials say the soldier was handed over near Khost, close to the the Afghan-Pakistan border, on the evening of 31 May. A several-dozen strong US special forces team flew in by helicopter and briefly met some 18 Taliban on the ground. The exchange, captured on video, shows Sgt Bergdahl sitting in a pick-up truck before being walked to the helicopter. Once the helicopter was in the air, Bergdahl wrote the letters "SF? Taliban release video of handover.
Sgt Bergdahl was the only US soldier being held by the enemy in the Afghan conflict, and Washington had long been seeking his release, spurred on by the "Standing with Bowe" campaign led by his parents in Hailey, Idaho.
But the talks did not move forward because the US were pushing for a wider peace process, while the Taliban wanted to limit the talks to a prisoner swap, Taliban sources told the BBC. Direct negotiations broke down in when the Afghan government opposed the opening of a Taliban office in Qatar, although secret talks continued, mediated by Qatar. The issue was given more impetus as plans solidified to pull nearly all American forces out of Afghanistan by the end of US sources say the breakthrough came when hardline Taliban leaders dropped their opposition to a swap.
Capitol on Jan. The committees also found the Mar-a-Lago members exerted dominance over White House staff who were tasked with implementing While the involvement of Saudi and Israeli fighters in the same mission is significant, that development does not necessarily A SpaceX rocket carried four astronauts into orbit Wednesday night, including the th person to reach space in 60 years.
Armistice Day remembrances have been observed worldwide after the coronavirus pandemic wiped out ceremonies last year to mark Military News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. You May Also Like. My Profile News Home Page.
Most Popular Military News. Saudi Arabia and Israel Tiptoe Toward Overt Security Cooperation While the involvement of Saudi and Israeli fighters in the same mission is significant, that development does not necessarily Yes, You Can! More Military Headlines. During his trial, prosecutors highlighted the hazards to which Bergdahl exposed his comrades who embarked on a massive search and rescue mission in the days and weeks after his disappearance.
Mark Allen, who was shot in the head, leaving him unable to speak or walk. The decision on Sergeant Bergdahl is a complete and total disgrace to our Country and to our Military. In turn, the defense team appealed for leniency, stressing the physical and emotional toll of five grueling years of captivity by the Taliban and its allies.
In court, Bergdahl recounted how he was caged, tortured and beaten, and he apologized to those whose lives he endangered. A forensic psychiatrist testified during the trial that Bergdahl suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as schizotypal personality disorder, which includes severe anxiety, unconventional behavior and grandiose thinking.
After the judge imposed his sentence, many within the military — including those who were wounded while attempting to rescue Bergdahl — expressed surprise and shock that Bergdahl would spend no time in jail. Jonathan Morita, 33, of Valencia, Calif. Though Morita believed the judge was right to demote Bergdahl and hand down a dishonorable discharge, he said he had expected a sentence of at least 10 years in prison.
His comrade, Sgt. Mark Allen, who was injured in the same mission, no longer can walk or speak. I get that he may have PTSD.
0コメント